Category Archives: Christian Living

Blessing is God’s Idea

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Pot-of-Gold

God is not a leprechaun. As I understand the folklore, the little green-clad fellas are quite rich but would do anything rather than part with their shiny gold coins. If you manage to catch one, however, you can then negotiate for his pot of gold – if you’re lucky.

But our Heavenly father is not reluctant to bless. We do not have to catch Him at the right time or right mood and then negotiate with Him to open His hand to us. He is good, profoundly so, and more generous that many are often willing to consider.

As my eyes fell across Exodus 23:25 this morning, I was struck by how it reveals the nature of God. “You shall serve the Lord your God and I will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from the midst of you.” Here, God presents His design and desire to bless His people. Their bread and water will be blessed, and He will actively drive out sickness from their midst (the Hebrew syntax is not as mild as the English suggests). This promise is an expansion of Exodus 15:26, and is developed further in Deuteronomy 7:14-15.

What impresses me, happily, is that we observe in these passages that blessing is God’s idea and His ideal. Israel doesn’t initiate the concept of being blessed. They haven’t written out a list of requests or demands to be fulfilled by a reluctant deity. Blessing comes from the heart and mind of God. He thought of it. Blessing is God’s idea. Further, blessing is God’s ideal – it is His preferred state for His people. The best thing He can imagine for His people is them blessed: them not lacking supply, nourishment, offspring, or health. Blessing is not the exception to the rule (for the lucky); it is not elusive; it is not exclusive. Blessing is what God prefers for His people.

Now, one might counter with “Hey Dav, you know that blessing was only promised to the obedient, right?” Yes. I know. But that does not counter the concept, it affirms it. Obedience is God’s preferred state for His people: us following His wise, loving and altogether good leadership. And, just as preferred for us as obedience, is blessing. They are both God’s idea and ideal. Blessing was not God’s reluctant response to good behavior. Obedience facilitated the funnel through which God could bless.

So great is God’s commitment to bless, God sent His Son to fulfill all righteousness for us, to take away all our sin and shame, and to BLESS US (Acts 3:26, Galatians 3:14, Eph. 1:3, etc.)

I realize that the subject of blessing raises the ire of some. Too many folks are too eager to make sure no one tries to talk God out of His pot of gold. Others, to be fair, erroneously imagine that God IS the pot of gold. Neither of the former agendas are mine. I simply celebrate and give thanks that blessing is God’s idea and ideal for me and my family. I have no need for fear, no pressure to perform, and no reason not to believe for and embrace the blessing of the Lord.

God bless you; thanks for reading!
~ Dav

 

Not Just an Apron

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I love to go to Starbucks. I particularly enjoy my gold card by which I enjoy free refills of my Trenta-sized (what a fantastic idea!) iced tea. Beside my delight in the all-too-soon consumed beverage there, I am fascinated by a principle I observe behind their counters. And, I resolve to not live by it.

Each person behind the counter at Starbucks has an apron. Some are green, some are black – I don’t know what that means, if it’s like the shirts on Star Trek or what – but they all wear aprons. And when those people, most of whom I have never met and never actually see in the real world, wear those aprons – they are the most fantastic people in the world.

I can walk up and be totally confused and stare at a menu and they happily ask how they might help. If I’m not ready, no big deal! Just let them know. When I order (or my wife or her sister order) some crazy drink that takes up a whole sentence to describe (including verbs, adjectives and abbreviations) they smile happily as if to welcome such nonsense – like they were waiting for my odd order.

Even better, when I purchase the afore mentioned Trenta-sized (what a great idea!) iced tea, and use my phone to scan the payment, they hand me a delicious cup of nirvana that I promptly drink faster than that Nesquik Bunny. Then, with haste, I return to the counter and present my empty cup to an aproned person who quite happily refills my tea. I can do this as long as I am in the store. It nearly justifies the price I paid for boiled leaves and water. What marvelous persons inside those aprons.

But, what do you think would happen if I shoved my cup toward one of those persons after they removed their aprons? Methinks they might possibly suggest where else I might shove my cup. Why? Because, it is just an apron. The apron connotes an external, temporary, certain-times-only role. And while I respect that principle at Starbucks, I reject it for my Christianity.

In Ephesians 4:1, Paul urges his audience to “walk” worthy of the calling they have received. It is significant that he uses the word “walk.” It denotes our whole manner of life: everything we are, everywhere we go, all that we say and do. Paul is not talking about certain or special times; he is talking about all the time. We are to practice, to express the grace we have received with every decision and detail of our lives. We are to walk like we really believe all that God has done in and for us in Christ – to live like we believe it’s true. We can be consistently confident in our identity, purpose, and anointing in Christ. And we can demonstrate this calling one step at a time, with every step we take. Because, thankfully, it’s not just an apron.

Cheers! I’m off to enjoy some tea. And, thanks for reading.
~ Dav

Isaiah 6: A few thoughts for today’s willing messenger

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In the year that King Uzziah died, the prophet Isaiah has a spectacular vision that forged the future of his ministry. While the events and immediate consequences of the vision are directed to Isaiah and his contemporaries, that which is revealed or affirmed regarding the mission of heaven remain constant and timelessly informative, edifying and applicable.

​The passage includes material that, although inspired and worth study, will not be included in this essay, which will instead focus on how the passage portrays the nature of God, atonement, and the message of repentance and healing.

​In his vision, Isaiah sees Adonai enthroned high and exalted. The train of his robe fills the temple. The Hebrew syntax accentuates the majesty of the moment with an apparent use of the “plural of eminence” on the noun “robe” and verb “fills.” (As if said that Adonai’s robes filled and filled and filled the temple.) Accompanying Adonai are angelic beings called Seraphim, or “burning ones.” These blazing creatures use their sets of wings to cover themselves in the presence of the Lord; they revere the Sovereign Master, the Lord of Hosts.

​The Seraphim cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.” There is a beautiful paradox in this cry. Thrice the blazing ones shout, “Holy!” Hebrew uses repetition for emphasis. God is exceedingly Holy. Holiness is God’s supreme nature, it is God set apart, unique, distinct; God alone is “high and lifted up.” God is the exalted One, transcendent. And yet, the whole earth is full of His glory. God’s glory is His majestic splendor, beauty, and magnificence. God’s glory is His radiance and our ecstasy. His Glory pervades creation. God is transcendent in Holiness, but immanent in Glory. This paradox reveals God’s design and desire to be manifestly present in our midst, borne out in the incarnation: The Word became flesh and dwell among us, and we have beheld His glory.

​At the sound of the Seraphim’s shout, the temple door-posts shake, and the whole house is filled with smoke. God’s presence seems too great for even the heavenly structure to bear as it sways under the weight of glorious cloud of Glory. This scene in heaven seems echoed in Acts 4, when the place is shaken as the Spirit of God fills all in the house.

​At this Isaiah cries out, “woe is me for I am undone…a man of unclean lips among a people of unclean lips…I have seen the King.” The majesty of God’s Holiness and Glory invokes this self-condemning sentiment. God does not condemn Isaiah, nor do the angels. Isaiah condemns himself with his words. Isaiah is convinced he must die, he is “undone” in the presence of Adonai’s splendor.

This scene, too, has and echo in Peter’s confession before Christ in Luke 5:8, “depart from me, Oh Lord, for I am a sinful man.” But Jesus does not condemn Peter, rather he assuages his fear and calls him into service, saying, “do not fear, for now on you will be catching men.” And likewise, though Isaiah would sentence himself (rightfully) to death, heaven does not. One of the seraphim flies over to Isaiah with a live (burning) coal and touches Isaiah’s lips, saying, “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away (cut off, taken away, lifted) and your sin is purged (atoned for).” The flaming coal from the altar, having born the sacrifice, is applied to Isaiah. His iniquity is taken away. His sin is atoned for – and this verb in the imperfect tense indicates that this atonement continues – all of Isaiah’s sin is atoned for.

This altar speaks to us of the atonement of Christ, who was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resurrection of the dead (Romans 1:4).

The Holy Spirit’s fire applies what Christ’s sacrifice has accomplished.

​Isaiah, too, is then sent to carry the message of atonement. But here is where the language in the text feels awkward. It seems as if Adonai intends to prevent his people from hearing the message. But it may be better understood that although God’s desire is not to preclude restoration, He here recognizes that the hearts of His people are bent on rebellion. Isaiah’s preaching will only harden their hearts further. Because their hearts are hard, they will not hear or understand. They will not return (repent), and will not be healed. But in these consequences, the reader can hear the hope of heaven.

Adonai desires for men to hear His message, to understand it and to return to Him, repenting of their futility and rebellion. And in this returning, they will find healing.

​Isaiah’s mission was sad. But ours is not. From this passage we can be assured that a Holy God is still expressing His glory in the earth. The Holy Spirit blazes with the purging flame of Christ’s atonement for sin. And heaven still seeks fire-born messengers to call men and women to hear and understand, to repent and be healed.

God is an Optimist

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God is an optimist. He is resolutely hopeful. Fear is absent from His gaze. God loves the future, but He does not need to resent or reject the former to do so.

In Haggai 2:6-9, the prophet, speaking for God, declares that although the former temple was glorious, the glory of the future temple would be greater. That is a bold and fascinating claim. The former temple was exceedingly magnificent, part of a glorious dynasty and lineage that the world has seldom (if ever) seen equaled. It was the center of national pride, robust with rich beauty and intricate design. The former temple shook with the visible presence of God. God lived in it. Whoa. The testimonies, the life-changing and nation-shaping events that transpired there are sacred. And now, in the midst of a barely reborn and hardly rebuilt nation, God’s mouthpiece claims that the new will be better than the old.

I am fascinated by that moment. The prevailing mood must have been at best doubtful, if not outright pessimistic. No evidence for a grand future existed. The scales of greatness were tipped by the weight of yesteryears long gone.  But hear the heart of God; listen for the pounding resonance of hope. The prophet’s words paint possibility on the canvass of his audience’s imagination. God says, “It can, and it will, be better than before.” It strikes me that this is how God sees the future, regardless of current situations. It doesn’t have to be bad for God to say things are going to be good. Things can be pretty good, and God still has designs for them to be even better. In fact, no matter how glorious the past was, it never, absolutely never, should be considered a high-water mark. God’s tide is always rising. God’s beautiful brilliance always sees the future as better and brighter, not because He’s necessarily displeased with how things are or were, but because beauty and excellence and growth and ever-increasing-glory are fundamental expressions of God’s very self.

For God to say the new temple was going to better was not a rejection of the former temple. The former wasn’t insufficient. It wasn’t a model to avoid or reject. This is not a proof-text for us to be condescending to our past. It is simply an invitation to believe that regardless how great (or not so great) our past was, God always has a more glorious future for us. The reason we don’t “live in the past” is precisely because the laws of physics do not allow us to. We cannot live anywhere other than “now” nor can we plan for anywhere other than “next.”

For our future to be better, we don’t need to reject or forget the past. Rather, we should cherish and celebrate testimonies and experiences as fuel for faith in future glory. What God has done before, in and through people who were willing, should inform our expectations that God will continue to express His brilliance, power and love through people who are grateful for what He has done, and willing to be part of what He’s still doing.

Cheers to the glorious future, and happy new year

~ Dav

Get A Big Tree

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When I was a kid, for a few years I remember going to the Christmas tree “farm” and our family wandering around looking for the perfect tree to saw down and haul home. I remember the exhilarating desire to search for and select not only the most perfectly shaped tree, but a really big one. Without fail, my mom would decline my first few suggested trees, not because they were unattractive, but always for this one reason: they were just too big. She’d say that by the time we put it in a stand it would be taller than the ceiling.

But a big tree is what I wanted. A big tree it had to be. Why? Well, obviously because the bigger the tree the more presents, and bigger presents, would be under the tree. Clearly, the size of the tree determined the magnitude of gifts there-under. Clearly. So, we had to get a big tree.

Now, as I reflect upon my preadolescent reasoning, I know that my hope wasn’t really in the size of the tree. It was really about my confidence in the nature of my parents. I knew the size of their affection, and the joy of their generosity. Those great qualities inspired my hope for the good times wrapped under the tree. So, we had to get a big tree.

And, my friends, it is that same confidence in the profound goodness of God that inspired the Apostle Paul to pen one of the pinnacle promises in scripture, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). If this promise is true, we had better get a big tree.

If God is causing all things to work together for our good, then there is going to be A LOT of good things under the tree. In fact, somehow, ALL THINGS will be under there: the good, the bad, the ugly, the bright, the dark, the sweet and the bitter, the calm and the storm, ups and downs, laughter and sorrows. All things. We better get a big tree.

All things are pressed into the service of God and packaged for our good. If all things are being worked out, worked together for my good by a loving and gracious God, then I had better get a big tree. Psalm 31:19, “Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you!”

John Piper writes, “If you live inside this massive promise, your life is more solid and stable than Mount Everest. Nothing can blow you over when you are inside the walls of Romans 8:28.”

This promise assures us that it is not just going to be okay, it is going to be good. There never has been and never will be a circumstance in your life where this promise is irrelevant. It is particularly powerful in times of challenge, heartache, setback or despair. It is NOT a proof-text to tell us “why bad things happen.” It does not suggest God is the author of calamity or hardship. It promises that God is too good to be overcome by any of it. It may not provide answers to our questions, but  it assures us of peace. Nothing will ever enter your experience as God’s child that, by God’s profound goodness, will not turn out to be a benefit for you. Get a big tree.

This promise assures you that God is FOR you. If we will believe this deeply, we will not only survive, but will thrive in the pressures and temptations of modern life. We can believe deeply that God almighty is taking every set back and and every discouragement and pressure and pain and stripping it of its destructive power and making it work for our good. Get a big tree.

We can know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. All things. All of them. Wow.

We better get a very big tree.

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to share.
~ Dav

 

 

A Resolve to Rejoice

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If ever it were clear that joy is no trifling matter, no mere elective in the course of life, it is so in Habakkuk 3:18. The prophet has just acknowledged that even if all the normal or natural causes of celebration are null (no figs, no grapes, no olives, no crops, no flocks or cattle), he would rejoice in the Lord; He would take joy in God His savior. The syntax is strong, indicating a strong resolve to continue rejoicing. Come hell or high water, Habakkuk will keep rejoicing: “I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

I am afraid to consider how often I authorize my own forfeiture of joy. Too much do I give myself too easy reason to choose a lesser and weaker attitude. And truthfully it never works out. Indulging in impatience, anger, pride or fear never, absolutely never, shares the divine dividends that joy does. I welcome the prophet’s testimony of his unyielding commitment to joy. I share in said resolve.

I can trust joy. Joy will always lead me to the highest good; joy will always make me my best self. Joy will always keep my heart and mind and actions congruent with the climate of heaven. When I rejoice, I am agreeing with heaven in terms of who God is (His profound goodness and faithful love), and with regard to the full force of the finished work of Jesus (and the bright realities thereof). I see people, circumstances, opportunities, obstacles, hardships and heartaches, challenges and successes in the light of the prevailing truth of Heaven.

A joy-based climate in my heart is an environment that precludes the presence of anger, anxiety, or fear. Joy is none of the above. Rather, joy is a greenhouse for a host of godly virtues and benefits:

  • Joy is gentle (consider how joy and gentleness are neighboring imperatives in Philippians 4:4-5)
  • Joy is generous (2 Cor. 9:7)
  • Joy is strength (Neh. 8:10)
  • Joy is peace and hope (Romans 15:13)
  • Joy is healing (Proverbs 17:22)
  • Joy is a continual feast (Proverbs 15:15)
  • Joy is trust in His Name (Psalm 33:21)
  • Joy is being ever aware of His presence (Acts 2:28, Psalm 89:15)

Joy is always the right choice (I Thess. 5:16). Joy will never let me down. My resolve to rejoice transcends the fluctuating circumstances of earth; my joy agrees with the unchanging nature of God. I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Thanks for reading; feel free to share.

~ Dav

Be Holy

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Peter writes that “just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: be holy, because I am holy” (I Peter 1:15-16). Is it possible that Peter intends to insist that we be holy just as God is holy? Yup.

Why Be Holy?

In Peter’s command to be holy and in his OT quote of the same, the reason for holiness is because God is Holy. Be holy because God is. We are to be holy in everything we do, because God is.  At first blush this seems like idealistic hyperbole, like wishful thinking. But maybe not. We were, in fact, created in the image and likeness of God. We aren’t divine, but were made to reflect His divinity. In creation we were made to bear the image and likeness of the one who created us, and in redemption we are created-in-Christ to bear the image and likeness of the One who calls us.

When I am I like Him, when I reflect His image, I am my most authentic self. My truest self is Him. Holiness is not strange or alien; it is truth; it is reality. It is my real self as created by Him who calls me His own.

How Holy?

This begs the question – how can I be holy? Peter’s double imperative includes two different syntaxes. The OT passage he quotes (v. 16) uses syntax that implies that the recipients of the command act in such a way as to be (or become) holy. The onus is on the audience. But Peter’s own voice (v. 15) issues the command passively. This seems to imply that though both the Old and New Covenants contain the same imperative to be Holy, the means of Holiness are not the same. I don’t know if under the OT it was possible to fully embrace / embody the Holiness God required. It seems clear that it was not.

But when Peter says to be holy in all we do, because he is using the passive verb of “be,” he is saying “be made Holy.” In Christ, I am not working or trying to be Holy. In Christ I am made Holy. Made Holy. That is something God does to me and for me in Christ. It isn’t something I try to do; it is something He has made me. The Holy Spirit makes me Holy. God does not give His Spirit to people because they are holy; He gives His Spirit to people to make them Holy. I am the temple of the Holy Spirit. When I know this, and believe it deeply, I live out of that reality, out of that identity. And I act like who I am in all I do. My “do” comes directly from my “who.”

This makes sense, because that is how God is Holy. God’s holiness is simply the normal expression of His Nature. He is Holy in all He does because He IS Holy. God’s holiness is not defined by what he doesn’t do. Holiness is not defined by what it is not. God is not holy because he avoids doing certain things on a sacred list. Holiness originates and emanates from Him.

Therefore, I cannot be holy (or be made holy) by attempting to observe and keep a list of things to do, and avoid another list of things I should not do. No list-keeping will make me holy. Nor can I rely on my own frame of reference to determine what holiness is. My frame of reference is at best limited. Holiness is not my idea. Nor does holiness come from common consent. Holiness does not a rise from a committee nor does it result from a vote. If we rely on lists or on our own ideas, the result can only be a limited or legalistic “less-than.” Instead, we realize, gladly and gratefully, that Holiness comes from God. It is defined by Him and effected by Him.

Yes, scripture provides examples of the attributes of the Holiness God desires, and these examples should absolutely inform our expectations for what the Holy Spirit will produce in our life. These attributes are landscaped throughout epistolary literature, but in general they look like: loving one another deeply, being kind, honest, loyal and compassionate, and forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave us. Further, there are examples of what genuine holiness precludes – attitudes and actions that are fundamentally contrary to the nature of God – most often forbidden are vices like: anger, slander, evil speech, every form of malice, harsh words and hard feelings (yes, those two things are UNHOLY), and sexual impurity of any kind. To be clear on that point: sex is holy, sexual immorality is not. These examples help to form and forge our focus, they inform our faith. But our faith is not in our behavior, it is in the One who calls us and gives us His Spirit. In Christ, God has made me Holy. In scripture, God has given me examples of what that does and does not look like.

So, dear friends, when responding to the God’s great command to be Holy, we have reason, means, and example. Therefore, as image bearers, let us be the likeness of Him who created us and called us. Let us be holy.

If this or any post on this site encourages you, please feel free to share with others. And, as always, thanks for reading.

~ Dav

How to Change the World

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In Daniel chapter 9, Daniel partners with a prophecy decades old in order to see a nation reborn. In the first year of Darius the Mede, Daniel reads Jeremiah’s prophecy that Jerusalem must lie desolate for 70 years (v. 2). Measuring the timeline, Daniel understands that the time for restoration is coming. He does not read the prophecy and repose passively waiting for its outcome, but turns to the Lord to intercede for the prophecy’s fulfillment (v. 3).  What follows provides insight into the nature and power of prayer that influences earth: this is how we can change the world.

First it should be reasserted that Daniel’s response to prophecy was to participate, not merely observe. There may be times when our only form of participation is to sit back and behold what God does. But more often than not, prophecy is an invitation to participate in God’s redemptive and gracious activity on the earth and in our lives. So deeply did Daniel feel responsible to partner with God’s purposes, that he prayed – it seems – as if the fulfillment of God’s plans depended on his prayer (v. 3). That, I believe, is prayer that changes the world.

Daniel turned to the Lord and pleaded with Him in prayer and fasting. Daniel even donned rough burlap clothing and sprinkled himself with ashes. Both of these behaviors are iconic expressions of Semitic mourning. Daniel deeply, very deeply longed for the restoration of his people to their homeland, and grieved over the sin that brought about their exile. Why did Daniel engage in such drastic, even painful behavior as he prayed? Would abstaining from food and causing severe discomfort on his skin really get God’s attention? Does such activity change God’s mind or modify His mood? I don’t think so. Not at all.

I believe that what we observe in Daniel’s prayer here is the kind of praying that seeks to change earth. Prophecy already revealed the will and plan of God. Prayer, now, partners with that will to effect it on earth. This kind of prayer involves focusing our will, our attention, and our commitment. This is prophetic prayer – prayer that knows the will of heaven and calls for that will to prevail on earth. Fasting, then, is more about focus, about summoning the utmost of our energy and focus upon an obstacle or opportunity before us: where heaven can and should and must prevail on earth. I want to be clear here: I do not believe fasting makes God do anything. I don’t believe that fasting (or wearing burlap or ashes) bears in itself anything meritorious. Fasting affects me, not God. Prayer affects Heaven and earth. Daniel’s fast was about focus. He was fixed on changing earth.

God is already focused. Especially on this side of cross. God has already acted, already spoken, already had mercy, already released immeasurable and incomprehensible grace. God needs no arm-twisting from me, and certainly isn’t affected by my missing a few cheeseburgers. In fact, no self-flagellating will ever eclipse the pristine perfection of Christ’s suffering on my behalf. Christ has paid every price, met every condition; He alone is the Advocate, the Intercessor, the Mediator between God and man. His work is perfect! It cannot be augmented, improved upon, or added to in any way. It is finished.

So why fast? Well, if we feel led to, we should fast only for our own benefit; only to bring a sense of focus to our prayer. Fasting does not make prayer more powerful. It might, however, help us feel the significance of our prayer’s longing. Fasting is a refocus of our appetites, isolating our affections upon a single outcome. As such, it should be done sparingly, and never with the false hope that we’re gaining special favor with God as a result. You might say, “Hey Dav, Jesus fasted for 40 days!” Yup, he did. But friends, Jesus fasted AFTER He saw heaven open, heard the voice of God, and the Spirit descended upon Him. It seems to me that Jesus was spiritually overwhelmed by that experience and literally took 40 days alone to respond to it. And further, those days may have been days of powerful fellowship with the Father and focus on the ministry ahead. Jesus didn’t fast to get anointed. He fasted because He was anointed. Further, you might say, “Hey Dav! The disciples at Antioch worshipped the Lord and fasted!” (Acts 13) Yup. They sure did. They were worshipping the Lord and fasting – totally focused on Him, on His presence – to the point where they let go of time, schedule, even regular meals. That kind of worship is a work of the Holy Spirit’s calling and prevailing presence. He causes that response from us; we don’t cause or conjure Him by fasting. But here, as with Daniel’s prayer, we see that this kind of focus in prayer partners with the will of God to bring about His purposes on earth. In Antioch they prayed and birthed the missionary journeys of Paul – which in every measurable way has influenced the earth. They changed the world by prayer.

We see in the narrative in Daniel 9 and 10 that somehow prayer affects the outcome of history. Daniel prayed, confessed the sins of his people, and called for God’s redemptive plan to come forth. He “went on” doing it (v. 20). As he continued, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and said that from the moment Daniel started praying a command was given (v. 23). Heaven immediately responded to Daniel’s intercession. Daniel’s prayer set things in motion for Heaven to prevail on earth.

There are realities that I do not fully understand (few really do – regardless of how many paper-backs they peddle). There are spiritual forces, authorities and rulers against which we contend for the advancement of The Kingdom. Daniel later heard this fact from another angel who told him that “since the first day you began to pray… your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked by way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia…” (vv. 12-13). This is not just an OT apocalyptic reference, because The Apostle Paul matter-of-factly says that we contend against, “the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12).

What I do understand is that Daniel’s prayer actually helped effect the outcome and destiny of nations. What I do understand is that we can and should pray with focus and determination to see what we know to be Heaven’s will  prevail upon earth. Where we read promise or prophecy in scripture, let us respond as if it were a direct invitation to partner with God in prayer. We know God hates suffering. We know God loves justice. We know God is willing that none should perish. We know God loves children. We know God loves peace. We know that God wants everyone to know the Love, Grace, and Power of the name of Jesus. We know God is grieved by evil, by malice, by oppression. We know the church is God’s plan for this planet. We know enough to pray well, to pray with focus and determination and resolute confidence. We can, in fact, change the world. We can pray.

Going Rogue

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The story of Daniel and the lions’ den is not unfamiliar. As wonderful and promising it is that the Lord protected and honored Daniel even in the midst of ferocious animals, I am intrigued by the back story, the reason Danny found himself in the company of carnivorous kitties. He went rogue.

King Darius appointed Daniel (with two other administrators) to supervise the 120 overseers of the kingdom. Daniel soon “proved himself more capable than all the other administrators”, and because of his “great ability, the king made plans to place [Daniel] over the entire empire” (Daniel 6:1-3). Jealousy filled the other administrators, who sought to accuse Daniel to the king. However, in addition to being highly capable, Daniel was “faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.” So, as the story goes, the bad guys decided that the only way to get Daniel in trouble was to somehow make his faith a problem to the king (6:4-5). They convinced the king to make it temporarily illegal to pray unless it was to the king (6:6-9).

This is the part that grabs me. Keep in mind the depiction of Daniel’s leadership – how much he was responsible for and how well he fulfilled those responsibilities. He was the leader of leaders. He was on the cover of leadership magazines. He had a dozen best-selling works on “leadership that transcends empires.” But it was his prayer life that got him in trouble. His comrades made it illegal for him to pray. I have to ask – I wonder how many contemporary leaders would be much affected by such a prohibition? Could they, could I, just continue with my current calendar agenda and comply with the law against praying? Would anything change much?

For Daniel there was no option. He went rogue in prayer. He prayed three times a day just as he had always done (v. 10). And that’s what got him busted. But God honored him and all worked out well – “the end.” Okay, now let’s take another look at Daniel’s prayer life.

Daniel prayed three times a day, giving thanks to God. That’s the first descriptive phrase attached to Daniel’s prayers. His prayer life is first characterized by giving thanks. When he was caught grateful-handed, the narrator says Daniel was praying and “asking for God’s help.” So we’re told three things: Daniel set aside three periods of time a day to pray. His prayers were characterized by thanksgiving. When he prayed, he asked for God’s help.

I love this! First, notice that Daniel was NOT praying in order to appease an angry god, nor to keep his god in a good mood so that things would go well for Daniel. [I chose not to capitalize the former references to divinity as they did not accurately represent one.] Daniel prayed in order to give thanks and ask for help. How sublimely simple! How similar to Paul’s admonition: with thanksgiving, pray about everything (Phil. 4:6).

Did God prosper Daniel in response to and because of his prayers? Did Daniel “pray enough” for God to notice and respond? I don’t think so. Rather, it seems to me that Daniel created a climate in his own heart and mind that tapped into the free flow of wisdom and grace from heaven by regularly practicing genuine gratitude and humbly asking for help. Consider how giving thanks and asking for help would have developed deep awareness of God’s abiding presence, and a calm confidence in God’s ready hand to help Daniel face whatever opportunity or obstacle.

I have responsibilities: to serve, to lead, to advise, to solve, even to “perform.” We all do. We all bear the responsibility to lead and serve in various arenas. Daniel’s example should inspire and instruct us. We would do well to set aside time, regularly, to give thanks to God and ask for His help. I don’t mean the panic-prayers in response to the latest crisis. I mean, like Daniel, the proactive prayer life that gives thanks and asks for help as a normal part (or several parts) of our day.

I deeply believe that we can create a climate of confidence, calm, and a deep awareness of God ready-to-help presence, and it is no harder than giving thanks and asking for His help. And here’s a bonus – it’s quite unlikely we’ll be fed to the lions for doing it.

If this or any post on this site encourages you, please feel free to share with others. And, as always, thanks for reading.

~ Dav

 

 

 

 

When is it okay to eat off someone else’s plate?

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mashed-potatoes-and-gravy

 

There is something sacred about the parameters of a plate. That is just some really personal space there. To sneak a nibble off a stranger’s plate is among the more indelicate actions conceivable. There is a pretty big difference between walking through a restaurant and noticing that what someone has ordered looks good, and deciding to find out on the spot for yourself if it is tasty. Pardon me, mind if I have a sip of your soup? In general, unless you’re dealing with toddlers-who-need-bites or spouses-who-wish-they-ordered-what-you-did, you simply do not eat off someone else’s plate. That is, unless we apply it to Thanksgiving.

No, I don’t mean that at the thanksgiving table one should be free to sample other’s side dishes or (by any means) mooch my mashed potatoes. I mean thanksgiving as in the act of giving thanks—gratitude.

Gratitude is the one arena where I can freely enjoy eating off of other’s plates. I can celebrate and give thanks for what is happening in the life of a friend, a family member, or even a complete stranger. I can give thanks to God for my friend’s promotion, for my brother’s new job, for the sweet deal on a new dryer that a lady in my church found. I give thanks for the stories I hear from around the world where love has overcome hostility, where faith has risen from failure, and where compassion has confronted suffering. I can (and do) give thanks for the stories of God’s grace at work in lives of people who lived and died generations ago.  I don’t even need permission to eat off of other’s plates when it comes to gratitude. I can eat to my heart’s content. The grateful heart has a continuous buffet.

What if my own plate is lacking? What if it seems like all I have are some crumbs and some wilted garnish while someone else’s plate seems to be overflowing gravy-goodness? Well, I have two options: I can fuss and feud. I can complain about my lack and criticize the injustice of what others have. I can sulk in my sadness. I can do that as long as I want to. I will then be no happier, no more content, no more hopeful, no more generous, and no more full than I was earlier. And my plate will still appear quite empty. OR I can give thanks for the grace I see in other’s lives. As I do, the first thing that will happen is my own joy will increase – because gratitude always leads to greater joy. Further, celebrating the victories and joys in others’ lives encourages my own soul. The same God that is at work in the lives of family, friends, and total strangers is the same God who loves me and knows my name. Gratitude for God’s goodness in other’s lives testifies to God’s ability and willingness to cause His goodness to prevail in my own life. The more stuff on other’s plates that I see, the more evidence I have for hope. So I will feast off of the full plates of others for the sake of my own soul.

Finally, I should note that a curious thing about gratitude is its powerful effect on perspective. Giving thanks helps me see just how much I am blessed. My plate is nowhere as barren as I imagined. In fact, I probably have enough for others to start eating off of my plate.

Happy Thanksgiving.

~ Dav